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Bloody Ripper mate! I can't believe it was the same compressor lol!
I bought a brand new one a year or so ago for $100 AUD (only a little crap one). It was pretty useless so didn't use it much. Only last time I was home I was using it to clean out my spark plug bores when the BaaSturd blew up on me!
Mate you have essentially got working a pretty decent Compressor. I reckon something like that in Oz would cost at least $500 AUD or probably more. What size H.P is it? The belt driven ones seem to be more expensive.
Also how did you know what type of oil to use in that particular one and why was the old stuff that pale skin colour?
Well done! Good job! Could I suggest that you definitely depressurise it, open the drain plug on the tank and let the water drain out. Then leave the plug out and run air to get rid of any loose rust. Then run a water trap on the airline to finally get any other moisture out else you'll mess up your air tools.
Cheers
Paul
Hi Paul
That sounds a good idea! but going by the state of it, I was very surprised it worked at all.
When I took the Safety Valve apart, there was a ball of rust in there like a Musket Shot where there should have been a round Ball Bearing, together with a plunger and a Spring.
The Spring is almost rusted away, which means that I'm not getting 100 psi, so I've got to try and find a Spring from somewhere.
The water traps on the output of a compressor is a must. The Aftercooler I posted before will do this as it cools the air the water will drop out.
If you don't dry the air you will rust tools and if you spray paint you will get fisheye in the paint from the moisture. Voice of hard learned experience here.
Here is a pic of my current setup. It will run my blasting cabinet all day with NO water in the hose. Unless you want to paint a car or run a sandblasting cabinet you don't need to go to this extent. But some multiple filtration is necessary.
This will give some ideas.
The Gal pipe is the first stage of water separation. This pipe goes all the way to the roof about 3m. Notice how there is a section of pipe BELOW the inlet/outlet this allows water to drop below the outlet and when depressurised open the valve and drain the water.
Filters from LEFT to RIGHT.
* Desiccant filter - Made from an old fire extinguisher and filled with desiccant Kitty Litter. It removes moisture and oil.
* Coalescing filter/Regulator - Not necessary in this position but gives me a sightglass to see my Desiccant filter condition.
* Motor Guard Toilet Paper Filter - This has an element that looks like a roll of toilet paper and removes particles, Oil and the last remaining moisture.
* Coalescing filter/regulator - This one should be installed. On my setup this one is ALWAYS dry
That's a pretty neat Set up, totally Belt and Braces on every level, I will have to start looking into this Filter thing but I've only just got it going and there are lots of other jobs to do like fixing the Brakes etc. after which I'll get on it.
I was also using one of those tiny little compressors which was direct drive and although it was useful for quite a few jobs, it was never up to the mark.
The Main thing was that it was really noisy and you had to wear ear muffs to even get anywhere near it, so bad I kept it in the house and ran the Air Hose outside but even then you could still hear it and it really did my head in.
The Belt drives are much quieter or at least they make a much more pleasant noise but now I have got this one in my little Workshop, you can hardly hear it running with the door closed.
As for the Compressor Oil, you can usually buy that where they sell Compressors but I happened to have a bottle of that in the Shed from years ago.
The reason it goes milky, is if it mixes with water which it must have done through probably being left outside in all weathers by the P.O. who seemed to have given up on it completely.
As for HP no idea but I reckon about 1 to 1.5.
The whole restoration job on that which included the painting only took 3 hours!
I was also using one of those tiny little compressors which was direct drive and although it was useful for quite a few jobs, it was never up to the mark.
The Main thing was that it was really noisy and you had to wear ear muffs to even get anywhere near it, so bad I kept it in the house and ran the Air Hose outside but even then you could still hear it and it really did my head in.
The Belt drives are much quieter or at least they make a much more pleasant noise but now I have got this one in my little Workshop, you can hardly hear it running with the door closed.
As for the Compressor Oil, you can usually buy that where they sell Compressors but I happened to have a bottle of that in the Shed from years ago.
The reason it goes milky, is if it mixes with water which it must have done through probably being left outside in all weathers by the P.O. who seemed to have given up on it completely.
As for HP no idea but I reckon about 1 to 1.5.
The whole restoration job on that which included the painting only took 3 hours!
Mate it is funny you mentioned about the Noise as that was exactly the same with my El-Cheapo. It was so bloody noisey (and useless) that I too had to wear ear muffs every time I used the mongrel.
Well good job mate. Yeah I reckon Warrjon has got a good point. Every air compressor out here on the rig has a similar water trap set up, but corrosion is an absolute stinker out here in the ocean!
8+ bills??? for a 1.5 HP??? Wowee, But, I'll admit I've not bought one for decades.
Decades ago, my son moved out. time to go, I helped him work a deal to buy a house of his own.
Left me a wimpy 3 HP compressor. Different brand, but similar to
the Stanley in the picture. I removed the head. No busted studs, yippee. the reed valves were merely rusty remnants. I went shopping. I found a small shop that did compressors. the helpful owner found me a set of good used ones. New no longer available.
I put it together and it did all right. But, I had gotten a bead blast cabinet. Woefully inadequate. Got a big 6HP 60 gallon unit for about half of the mentioned 8. It continues to serve. But, the blast cabinet has gone, so only needed on occasion.
Yes, I built a "plumber's night mare" to avoid water at the end. Works!!!
I have a much smaller unit. It came free. Only good for about 10 gallons and 80 PSI. Handy, though....
A teen weenie one in plastic!!! 12v power. It will air a tire, but takes a a while. It rides around in the Jaguar's boot. Fits in a shoe box!!!
The water traps on the output of a compressor is a must. The Aftercooler I posted before will do this as it cools the air the water will drop out.
If you don't dry the air you will rust tools and if you spray paint you will get fisheye in the paint from the moisture. Voice of hard learned experience here.
Here is a pic of my current setup. It will run my blasting cabinet all day with NO water in the hose. Unless you want to paint a car or run a sandblasting cabinet you don't need to go to this extent. But some multiple filtration is necessary.
This will give some ideas.
The Gal pipe is the first stage of water separation. This pipe goes all the way to the roof about 3m. Notice how there is a section of pipe BELOW the inlet/outlet this allows water to drop below the outlet and when depressurised open the valve and drain the water.
Filters from LEFT to RIGHT.
* Desiccant filter - Made from an old fire extinguisher and filled with desiccant Kitty Litter. It removes moisture and oil.
* Coalescing filter/Regulator - Not necessary in this position but gives me a sightglass to see my Desiccant filter condition.
* Motor Guard Toilet Paper Filter - This has an element that looks like a roll of toilet paper and removes particles, Oil and the last remaining moisture.
* Coalescing filter/regulator - This one should be installed. On my setup this one is ALWAYS dry
Warren
(with apologies to OB for the slight deflection from his restoration thread..)
That's a great setup! I'm very envious!
I admit that my configuration is far more rudimentary with just a simple filter regulator after the compressor and then an additional cheap simple inline filter water trap prior to the tool connection. I don't do much paint spraying so this seems ok for my limited use. I also have another filter on the connection to my blast cabinet as I was sometimes getting cloged media.
I also tend to either run a small inline oiler immediately before the other tools connection or else manually oil the tools. It's only when you drain the tank (which I now do regularly) that you appreciate how much moisture is being created through the compressed heated air. i was horrified the first time I opened the drain tap and this rusty water poured out. Regular draining is now an integral part of using the compressor.
OB, check out the various filter / regulators and cheap inline water traps. They are not expensive and really necessary, as is tank draining,
Deflect all you want, as I am mega interested in that kind of stuff and want to get a blast cabinet but not sure if my Compressor has enough CFM to run one.
One of my jobs is maintaining air quality for dental offices. The best set up for clean and dry air is as follows. Air comp to water removing filter to refrigerated air dryer to water removing to oil removing to partial removing. I also run timer solenoids on tank drain to release 2 seconds of air every 15 minutes.
Air so clean that you can breathe it.
With air tools a simple water removing filter and drained tank you will be fine. Not so much for painting or sandblasting.
I'm lucky because I get all the second hand stuff for free. I have a lot of spare filters and regulators. I set up myself my dad and two buddies with that set up.
I sold the extra dryers and vertical tank when I moved.
Deflect all you want, as I am mega interested in that kind of stuff and want to get a blast cabinet but not sure if my Compressor has enough CFM to run one.
And no I don't know how much it puts out.
I can say for sure it won't. My compressor is 5hp and can pump 10fcm @ 90psi. It will run my rotary tools and my blasting cabinet @ about 50 - 60% duty cycle. The smaller red compressor I posted earlier would not keep up in either situation.
I looked at making a refrigerated De-humidifyer out of an old bar fridge but thought I would try what had for a while. This setup will run my blasting cabinet for hours with NO moisture in the last filter.
What you can do is buy another 1 or 2 compressors and run them in parallel with your existing one, this will work just as well as buying a bigger compressor. I just got a really good deal on big one.
One of my jobs is maintaining air quality for dental offices. The best set up for clean and dry air is as follows. Air comp to water removing filter to refrigerated air dryer to water removing to oil removing to partial removing. I also run timer solenoids on tank drain to release 2 seconds of air every 15 minutes.
Air so clean that you can breathe it.
With air tools a simple water removing filter and drained tank you will be fine. Not so much for painting or sandblasting.
I'm lucky because I get all the second hand stuff for free. I have a lot of spare filters and regulators. I set up myself my dad and two buddies with that set up.
I sold the extra dryers and vertical tank when I moved.
Hi BC
Funny you should mention that, as this is the Stuff I picked up in the Scrap Yard, which may or may not be what I need.
I'm not planning to do much Spraying, just little touch up jobs like under the front Spoiler and also for my Mini Sander.
So make of it what you will from the following photo.
Is this a water drain of some sort and what does the bit on the top do?
It was on the outlet of a Big Compressor (Too Big to get in the Car, unfortunately!)
I can say for sure it won't. My compressor is 5hp and can pump 10fcm @ 90psi. It will run my rotary tools and my blasting cabinet @ about 50 - 60% duty cycle. The smaller red compressor I posted earlier would not keep up in either situation.
I looked at making a refrigerated De-humidifyer out of an old bar fridge but thought I would try what had for a while. This setup will run my blasting cabinet for hours with NO moisture in the last filter.
What you can do is buy another 1 or 2 compressors and run them in parallel with your existing one, this will work just as well as buying a bigger compressor. I just got a really good deal on big one.
Hi Warrjon
5HP Wow! are you on 3 Phase or something?
I don't think I could run that from my 240volt A/C Supply
But I wouldn't mind a Pic of your Shot Blast Cabinet if you have one (ditto PTJS)
So there I was at my local Tip dumping some Household rubbish, when a guy drives in with a pick-up Truck and in the buck was what looked like one of those Spare Wheel covers, which was of no interest to me.
But then as he dragged it out of the Truck I felt my heart skipping a beat, as I suddenly realised what it actually was and legged it over towards him as fast as I possibly could.
The reason being the rules of the game have now changed, because back in the day if there was something you wanted out of a Skip/Dumpster, you could just see the guy who was running the Site tell him what you wanted and then give him a drink.
But not anymore. as if something makes it into the Skip 'Its game over' and you can't have it and as such it goes into Land Fill, instead of it being recycled by selling it on to someone like me who could make use of it.
Which was why I had to get to this guy before he had the chance of dumping it.
What he was about to throw away was an (Industrial Quality) Self Reeling Compressor Hose Reel, which was complete with 30ft of Heavy Duty Air Line OMG!
Although I was willing to buy it from him, he didn't want anything for it and so we carried it to the Car and dumped it in the Boot/Trunk, after which I took it back to base.
Apart from the fact it was covered in grime, there was nothing wrong with it at all and even the Air Line inside drum almost looked like New.
Just what I needed to go with my Compressor!
Self Reeling Compressor Hose Reel
Apart from the fact it was covered in grime it worked perfect.
All it needed was a Clean and it came up like new!
Last edited by orangeblossom; 10-27-2016 at 05:04 PM.
I typoed my motor is 4hp not 5hp and single phase I'm in a rural farming community and the power to the 3 houses here is from a 10KVA pole transformer so 3ph power is not available
10-26-2016, 11:38 AM
